Abbott to call indefinite special sessions to uphold threat of arrest of Democrats who fled Texas

This Sunday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned Democratic state lawmakers who fled to blue states to avoid passage of new election maps that the threat of arrest hanging over them will last "literally years."

Abbott issued the warning at a time when Democrats have surrendered their roles under the state constitution.

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, the Lone Star State governor assured that it is within his authority to keep the Texas legislature in special session indefinitely, extending sanctions for Democratic lawmakers who breached quorum last week.

"I'm authorized to call a special session every 30 days. It lasts 30 days. And as soon as this one is over, I'm gonna call another one, then another one, then another, then another one," Abbott said.

"If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken to the Capitol. If they want to evade that arrest, they're gonna have to stay outside of the state of Texas for literally years," he added.

"Only cowards run to blue states," the governor said.

Likewise, Abbott assured that the commitment of these legislators to vote as state elected officials is a duty and "not optional."

"We have a situation where lawmakers are violating the law in Article 3 of the Texas Constitution where they are required to act on bills. Because they're violating that constitutional mandate, that means they are not fulfilling their oath of office, and they can be removed from office in this legal action that I'm taking," he said.

Greg Abbott: "If Texas drew maps like they did, we’d gain 10 seats"

Abbott also assured Fox News Sunday that California and New York have spent decades redistricting in their states.

"If you look at the way lines are drawn in California and New York and Illinois, Massachusetts, where there are no Republicans whatsoever, they run out of Republicans that they can move out of office," the governor asserted.

"If Texas drew maps like they did, we'd gain 10 seats," he added.

Abbott threatens to increase redistricting margin

On Friday, in an appearance on the "Ruthless Podcast," the governor assured that the Texas Rangers and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) agents are working with federal officials to track down the fleeing Democrats.

"We’ll find them. We’ll hold them accountable," Abbott asserted.

In addition, the governor also threatened to increase the redistricting margin for Republicans if Democratic lawmakers don't return to Austin.

"What I'm thinking now is that if they don't start showing up, I may start expanding," Abbott said. "We may make it six or seven or eight new seats we’re going to be adding on the Republican side."